This invention relates to coin escalator equipment, which pushes up coins one by one and pays out the coins one by one from the upper part thereof. Especially, this invention concerns an escalator device for pushing up and paying out coins, stored in a bulk condition, one by one, from the upper part thereof This invention is used for a lifting style hopper device, for coins and medals, tokens which are used for game machines, including a slot machine etc. The terminology xe2x80x9ccoinxe2x80x9d used in this specification generally refers to small disk bodies which are distributed as currency. The terminology xe2x80x9ccoinxe2x80x9d in this specification also is intended to encompass medals, tokens and other small disk body, which are used in games and the like.
Equipment for raising the position of coins and paying one by one at the elevated position has been provided as various developed products. Japanese Patent Application 2-417960 by the present applicant, discloses a coin-lifting type hopper device. Japanese Patent Application 2-417960 is published and granted with Japanese Patent Publication 7-92847. In the U.S.A., this Japanese Patent Application 2-417960 is granted as U.S. Pat. No. 5,170,874. Lifting style coin hopper equipment which is disclosed on these public information is summarily shown on perspective view of FIG. 9.
The hopper equipment shown in FIG. 9 has a tank 1 like a pot shape for storing a plurality of coins A in a bulk condition. This hopper equipment has an outlet 5 for releasing coins A in tank 1 to the outside of this tank 1. This equipment has a rotating disk 2 for driving away coins A in the tank 1 to outlet 5 one by one. This rotating disk 2 has a circular mount division 3 on the center thereof and is provided with a plurality of pins 4 on the circumference thereof When the rotating disk 2 is rotated in counterclockwise, coin A is driven away to outlet 5 by pins 4 and mount division 3. In other words, when rotating disk 2 is rotated, coin A is driven away to outlet 5 one by one, intervening a knife. In addition, a long escalator equipment 6 is stood up on this hopper equipment, for raising coins A from outlet 5. Reference numeral 8 in FIG. 9 is a long back plate, and numeral 12 designates taper rollers.
On the long center line division of back plate 8, alley way 10 for coins A is formed by a plurality of rollers 12.
A problem was detected that the installation space for the lifting style coin hopper was undesirably large. That is to say, the above-mentioned lifting style coin hopper equipment used a large tank 1 with rotating disk 2 which was in an oblique standing condition. In addition, the bending at bend 6c of escalator equipment 6 had to be loosened for smoothly pushing up of the coins. As this result, conventional lifting style coin hopper equipment had to be enlarged.
This invention was developed in order to miniaturize the lifting style coin hopper equipment. In other words, the purpose of this invention is to offer a lifting style coin hopper device using a small hopper.
An object of this invention is to offer a lifting style coin hopper using a small hopper, which has a level rotating disk, for example.
Further, the purpose of this invention is to offer a small lifting style coin hopper which has improved escalator equipment.
According to this invention an escalator device for coins comprises a back plate with a curved surface for carrying from bottom to top a plurality of coins which are arranged in a single plane row. A pair of spacers are placed at each side on upper surface of this back plate, respectively. The escalator device for coins comprises at least a plurality of idlers which are freely rotatably arranged, covering the back plate between the paired spacers. A spring device presses these idlers to the back plate.
Also, this invention includes an escalator device for coins, wherein an endless belt is stretched on the plurality of idlers.
Also, this invention provides an escalator device for coins, wherein the spring device has arms.
The various features of novelty which characterize the invention are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and specific objects attained by its uses, reference is made to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which preferred embodiments of the invention are illustrated.